MacMOO Server README

Here's something I received regarding the MacMOO Server from
Jens Alfke some long time ago:

Here are some things that Jens told be about it: It's very tricky to run
since it's a faceless background app with absolutely no user interface.
You have to have program linkin turned on in the Sharing Setup control
panel (do this first), and enable linking for the appropriate users in
Users & Groups. The creator of the db file has to be set to "MOO " (yes,
that space in there is significant), then you just drop the db on it and
wait for the disk to stop whirring (it'll lock up the machine until it's
done loading...not a very friendly application). It worked fine with
an 1Oct94 LambdaCore ddb, but not with the latest (25Dec95) one; probably
a result of changes in the db format since the MacMOO Server was built.
It does not speak TCP/IP, only PPC (Process-to-Process Communication,
a MacOS protocal that's used by Apple Events) so you have to use the
MOOClient program to talk to it. There's no way to quit it short of
rebooting. Definately of historical interest only.

Here's the text of a longer document I received from Allan Crain some time ago,
also on the topic:

You're gonna need a whole bunch of memory. To just start up with the
Minimal.db, the server needs 6 megs all to itself. If you are trying to
run the System at the same time *grin*, you're going to need at the
barest minimum 8 megs. Add another three or so if you actually want to
connect to the server. I find that my system can manage to putter
along with 14 Megs running the LambdaCore. Thank god for Virtual
Memory, eh? :)

You're also going to need a pretty damn good processor. The person
who ported this to Mac decided to leave in the tick limit, so on a
low end processor (IE a 16MHz 030) every command will time out.
(At least mine does... But then, I'm running it on a 4MB machine via
Virtual Memory... Anybody want to donate some RAM SIMMs for LC II?).
Also, don't try running it on a PowerMac. It will run much slower than,
say, a IIci. This is because the MOO server on a PowerMac finds
itself flipping in and out of emulation which really slows the thing down.
The best machine to run it on would probably be an 040 of some
flavor (Anyone want to donate a Quadra 840av?).

Anyway, once you have all of this hardware, you need to get the
software. Fortunately, all you need is online and free. First, get the
Moo Server, Moo Client, and ThreadManager from here. Then either get
the Minimal.db (if you don't mind starting from absolute scratch -- We're
talking one verb here which is only defined, not programmed) from here
or get the latest copy of LambdaCore from
ftp://ftp.lambda.moo.mud.org/pub/MOO/ (formerly located at
ftp://parcftp.xerox.com/pub/MOO/).
(Which took my pitiful excuse for a computer something like an hour and
a half to load. I cut that down to about 30min by recycling $spell and
$help though). There's also the OrionCore database floating around (a
copy is at
ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/rcm/OrionCore.db) (11 April 1999 - this link
is dead. Don't know where to find it now, maybe at the previous
link site of ftp.lambda.moo.mud.org - Hsoi) but I can't
for the life of me figure out how the smeg the Wizard is supposed
to connect for the first time and there is no documentation for it
like the LambdaCore. The LambdaCore method of logging in for the first time
doesn't work... I strongly suggest using the Minimal.db first to make sure
the server likes your computer and such, then get the LambdaCore.

Once you've downloaded all of this and deBinHexed it:

1) Put the ThreadManager into your Extensions folder (not necessary
if you have System 7.5.x since it's part of the system)
2) Open the Memory control panel and bink your ram up to
however much you feel you need
3) Turn on 32 bit addressing
4) Open the chooser and turn on AppleTalk
5) Restart
6) Open the Sharing Setup control panel and turn on program linking
7) Make sure the database you grabbed has it's Creator set as
"MOO " (you can set this in ResEdit. Tell ResEdit to
'Get File/Folder info' and type it in in the Creator
field) The Type should be set to "TEXT"
8) Cross your fingers and drag the Database file onto the
Moo Server icon.

If all goes well, the icon should look like the Moo Server is running.
The server is, however, background only so it won't appear in the
Applications menu and besides re-starting there is no obvious way to
make it quit (If anyone figures it out, please E-Mail me:
allanc@idea-inc.com).

...Wait Patiently...

The Minimum.db should load almost instantaneously, by the way.
A new icon should appear in the folder from which the server was
launched called <database>.log where <database> is the name of the
Database you just told the server to run. You can watch this to figure
out how close the damn thing is to finishing. When it's done, a line like:

will appear at the bottom (obviously with AllanCore replaced by the
name of the database you have and the date/time changed to the time
it finished loading). Now comes the fun part.

Run the Moo Client (Don't you just LOVE that icon?). Tell it you wait
to connect via PPC (this is some sort of screwey Macintosh protocol which
I had never heard of before running the MOO Client, and have not heard
of since). Hit Command-G (I have forgotten what it's called...
Choose connection or something). There should be in the listing the
name 'LambdaMOO'. If not, something screwed up (Try waiting a bit
longer... Like an hour or two...). Ignore anything else and double
click on the LambdaMOO name. Then tell the program to connect.
It will take a few seconds...

At this point, the Client will probably crash. It always does for me.
Try again, perhaps after a ritual sacrifice or two (Don't sacrifice
any virgins, though. Send them to me. Try a Chicken or two...). If
the thing does crash but you can still move your curser, I suggest
hitting your Interrupt button (looks like a line with a triangle
in it, as if somebody took an axe to it. This is because that is
what one would like to do to ones Macintosh when it crashes) and
type 'G FINDER'. It won't salvage anything, and you'll still have
to re-start your Mac and do the whole server-loading thing all over,
but it gives you a warm feeling that you didn't let the Client win.
Mua ha ha ha! :)

If you're amazingly lucky and your Mac didn't kick up it's heels
and die, you are now <drumroll> CONNECTED! Rejoice in the knowledge that
your Mac works better than mine. Do all of the nice happy MOOful things
that you do on UNIX based MOOs.

Here's some additional information that you might find useful:

For Macs that don't have an Interrupt button, first try
hitting command-option-Power. If this doesn't work, download the
Freeware program <Or is it shareware? Hrm...> Interrupt Button. Then
the Command-Option-Power trick should work.

Another amazingly useful utility for MOO Serving is the In Use CDEV
or some other hard drive indicator program. This flashes a little picture
in the corner of your monitor every time the hard drive is accessed.
Amazingly useful for determining when the DB is done loading.

Somebody is working on a MOO Server native for PowerMac which promises to
be immensely better than the 68K Mac one.

For additional help, don't ask me. I know very little. (Though
I *AM* a Wizard on Three MOOs <BRAGbragBRAG> [WorldMOO, Arcadia,
MOO Francaise]). Subscribe yourself to the MOO Cows mailing list
(Send to
moo-cows-request@parc.xerox.com I think. Pavel Curtis himself will
subscribe you, so be polite) and send your question to
moo-cows@parc.xerox.com.
I am not sure about those addresses...